This Is Africa (TIA)

How soon I forget where I am and the pace at which life moves. Did I mention, I consider it a snail's pace? Another day, another lesson learned. The lesson is "This is Africa." Sue, a lovely New Zealander, who I met last year in Uganda, taught me this phrase that explains why things take so long on this continent. I have been learning and relearning this lesson for many years, and today was another schooling for me.

I had planned to take a four to five hour journey down to Mbarara to hang with Dr. Card and learn more about goats. Yesterday I felt I had a stroke of luck. I was going to avoid the brutal public transport and hitch a ride with her driver in her vehicle from Kampala to Mbarara. The car was being repaired and was due to be completed on Monday. However, TIA. The car was going to be ready today, Wednesday for sure. I spoke with the driver early this morning and he informed me that it would be ready by noon. Just before noon I received a text that it would be another hour. No worries, I thought. Then around 2:00 I was told it would be 5:00. TIA. I was a bit apprehensive to have a long dark journey. Let me point out that there are no superhighways here with adequate lighting.

I had a travel companion with me, a lovely woman named Jessica. We had decided that it would be smarter to leave in early the next morning. At 6:00 the driver said he was on his way to pick me up. He finally showed at 7:00. TIA. By then Jessica and I had opted out of the evening drive and chosen to leave early the next morning. The driver said that the car needed one more repair and would definitely be ready by tomorrow at 8 or 9 am. TIA.

So this morning I packed up my life into my backpack, grabbed my camera bag that weighs nearly half of my body weight and just waited. I waited all day long. And for what, I do not know. For whatever reason I was not meant to go to Mbarara today. Another night at my beloved temporary home, the Red Chilli. TIA...